Asylum Seekers: Private Sector Accommodation (Contracts)

Baroness Uddin: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How the private sector housing used for asylum seekers and identified by Lord Greaves in his oral question on 8 June compares with the best value standards set by the Government.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: In negotiating contracts with the private sector to provide accommodation for asylum seekers, the National Asylum Support Service worked closely with the Home Office Procurement Unit. The processes followed in negotiating contracts with prospective accommodation providers were consistent with those followed by the Home Office on other major procurement projects.

Winning Consent: Metropolitan Police Commissioner's Response

Baroness Gould of Potternewton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they will make available the formal response by the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police to the Report of Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary, Winning Consent.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: Winning Consent, the report of an inspection by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC), was published on 10 January. My right honourable friend the Home Secretary today arranged for a copy of the commissioner's formal response to the report, submitted to me in my capacity as Police Authority for the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), to be placed in the Library.
	The inspection was carried out as a direct response to a recommendation of the report of the inquiry into the death of Stephen Lawrence.
	It was one of the most detailed and thorough inspections ever carried out by HMIC into specific aspects of policing in one police force, and examined community and race relations policies, and the handling of murder enquiries, in the MPS. Winning Consent contains 41 recommendations. Twenty-nine relate to diversity issues, and 12 are concerned with the content of murder investigations.
	I welcome the commissioner's candid and very positive response. When the report was published, my right honourable friend the Home Secretary said that he expected senior management in the MPS to address the issues in it urgently and with vigour. This response confirms that they have done so. It demonstrates how much has already been achieved by the Metropolitan Police in implementing the report and reflects the commissioner's total commitment to meeting the challenges laid down and continuing the process of improvement.
	The report makes 41 recommendations. The commissioner has accepted all of them (except one, which concerns a matter of professional, operational judgement, in the allocation of murder investigations within the Metropolitan Police). Many of the recommendations are for action to be implemented over time. The commissioner explains that there is a specific plan of action in place for each such recommendation; and some recommendations have already been implemented in full.
	A fuller account of my assessment of the commissioner's response is being placed, together with it, in the Library.

Financial Fraud in the EU: Requests for Information

Lord Roper: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many formal inquiries for information on financial fraud (Commissions rogatoires internationales) were received from each of the other member states of the European Union in 1999; and how many have been replied to.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: The numbers of Commissions rogatoires (requests) for information on fraud received, actioned and completed in 1999 are shown in the tables.
	Requests sent to the Home Office are dealt with by the United Kingdom Central Authority (UKCA) for Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, in the Organised and International Crime Directorate of the Home Office.
	The UKCA database does not distinguish between different types of fraud cases, so the figures cover not only financial fraud, but other types of fraud as well, such as fraudulent trading.
	As requests for asset restraint and confiscation may be made in the context of financial fraud, these have been shown as well.
	"Actioned" denotes action taken by UKCA to forward the request to the appropriate agency, be it a police force, Customs and Excise, the Serious Fraud Office, a magistrates' court, or--less frequently--another agency. At the same time as actioning requests, the UKCA sends an acknowledgment to the requesting state, notifying it of the action taken.
	The UKCA has a target for actioning incoming requests of 20 working days. Therefore those requests received after early December will not have been actioned until early in 2000. Similarly, the figures for requests actioned will cover some requests received at the end of 1998. This explains the discrepancy between the "Received" and "Actioned" figures.
	How long requests take to be executed by these agencies is beyond the Home Office's control and depends on a wide variety of factors--for example, the complexity of the request, the availability of witnesses, the level of detail in the original request. The figures in the "Completed" columns will therefore represent a substantial number of requests received in 1998 or even earlier.
	
		Requests for Assistance in Fraud Cases 1999
		
			 Country Requests received Requests actioned Requests completed 
			 Austria 6 6 10 
			 Belgium 11 11 11 
			 Denmark 10 11 12 
			 Finland 6 6 6 
			 France 54 51 48 
			 Germany 32 38 40 
			 Greece -- -- 5 
			 Ireland -- 1 1 
			 Italy 15 15 24 
			 Luxembourg 3 3 1 
			 Netherlands 18 16 17 
			 Portugal 4 6 1 
			 Spain 37 36 22 
			 Sweden 3 4 5 
			  
			 Total 199 204 203 
		
	
	
		Requests for Asset Restraint/Confiscation 1999
		
			 Country Requests received Requests actioned Requests completed 
			 Austria -- -- -- 
			 Belgium -- -- -- 
			 Denmark -- -- -- 
			 Finland -- -- -- 
			 France -- -- -- 
			 Germany 1 -- 1 
			 Greece -- -- -- 
			 Ireland -- -- -- 
			 Italy -- -- 2 
			 Luxembourg -- -- 1 
			 Netherlands 2 2 2 
			 Portugal 1 1 -- 
			 Spain -- -- 2 
			 Sweden -- -- -- 
			  
			 Total 4 3 8

Firearms Certficate Holders: Database

Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they can now give a date by which the central register, required under Section 39 of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997, which came into force on 1 October 1997, of persons who have applied for a firearms or shotgun certificate or to whom a firearm or shotgun certificate has been granted, will be in place; and on what date the detailed impact assessment on the project, which was due to be completed in April 2000, was placed in the Library of the House.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: The results of the detailed impact assessment which was undertaken to scope the work and resources required to provide a database of firearms certificate holders as required under Section 39 of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997 were considered by the Police National Computer Steering Committee on 8 June. The assessment, which was endorsed by the committee and authority given to proceed, confirmed that the database would take some 12-15 months to establish. Copies of the assessment have now been placed in the Library.

Lead Shot Restriction Regulations

Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many prosecutions and how many convictions there have been in each county of England for infringements of the Environmental Protection (Restriction on the use of Lead Shot) (England) Regulations 1999 (S.I. 1999/2170).

Lord Bassam of Brighton: The Home Office Court Proceedings Database does not identify such offences separately from other summary offences.
	However, the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions has informed us that the Association of Chief Police Officers' Wildlife and Environmental Crime Adviser surveyed a number of police forces following the first season's operation of the Environmental Protection (Restriction on the Use of Lead Shot) (England) Regulations 1999. The responses suggest that a very small number of potential infringements were reported to the police, that all were dealt with by advice and no court proceedings were undertaken.

Community Sentence Non-compliance: Instigation of Proceedings

Lord Christopher: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	(a) what records are maintained of the lapse of time between a Probation Officer's decision to deliver an offender serving a community sentence in England and Wales to court and the offender's appearance in court; and (b) what is the pattern of delay shown by any such data.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: National standards for the supervision of offenders in the community set down time limits which require probation services to instigate breach proceedings, where appropriate, within 10 days of a failure to comply with the requirements of a community sentence. Information is not normally collected on the time taken between proceedings being initiated and the offender appearing in court. But we have recently conducted a very limited exercise in order to obtain information in this area. The results are still being analysed. I will write to the noble Lord with the results when they are available.

Car Number Plates: EU Symbol

Lord Lamont of Lerwick: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether any government regulations have been or are to be altered to allow space to be made for the European Union logo to be incorporated within United Kingdom car number plates; and
	Whether the decision to have a European Union logo incorporated in any new car number plate is a decision for sellers of new motor cars; and
	Whether any government department has since 1997 had any discussions with any office of the European Union about increasing the number of car number plates in the United Kingdom that incorporate the symbol of the European Union; and
	Whether they have any knowledge of any measures taken by any office of the European Union to encourage the use in the United Kingdom of the European Union symbol on United Kingdom car number plates; and
	Whether they have any knowledge of European Union funding of any kind being made available to encourage the use in the United Kingdom of the European Union symbol on car number plates.

Lord Whitty: The Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions has consulted the public on proposals to amend the regulations on the display of vehicle registration marks. Views were invited on a number of issues, including whether the new regulations should permit the voluntary display of the European Union symbol in accordance with the Council Regulation (EC) No. 2411/98. In the light of the comments received, I announced on 30 March this year that new regulations would be made in the near future to include provision for the voluntary use of the symbol. A copy of the Department's Press Release (number 252) was placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
	The provision of number plates on new cars is a matter between the buyer and seller. The purpose of Council Regulation 2411/98 is to allow motorists to dispense with the need to display a separate national identity sticker when using their vehicles within the EU. Proposals for the Council regulation were discussed with member states in the normal way. I am not aware of any funding being made available to encourage the use of the EU symbol on number plates. It will be for individual motorists to decide if they wish to make use of this option or continue to use the traditional oval GB sticker when driving UK registered vehicles in other member states.

Demolition in Conservation Areas: Shimizu Judgment

Baroness Gould of Potternewton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What action they propose to take following the House of Lords judgment in the case of Shimizu (UK) Limited v Westminster City Council in 1997.

Lord Whitty: The Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport have today jointly issued a consultation paper inviting views on whether any further action should be taken by government following the House of Lords ruling in this case. The paper proposes that an application for planning permission should in future be required for certain works of partial demolition within conservation areas, such as the demolition of boundary walls and fences.
	The proposals issued today are designed to address problems that have been identified as arising as a direct result of the Shimizu judgment. They are separate from, and do not prejudge, the broader review of heritage policy which my honourable friend the Minister for the Arts announced in November 1999.
	Comments are requested by 14 August 2000. Copies of the consultation paper have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Imprisonment for Non-payment of Local Taxes

Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What representations they have received from Barrister Trustees of the Zacchaeus 2000 Trust and from the Trust direct on the imprisonment of elderly and disabled people, and one terminally ill person, for local taxation debt; and, if so, what action they will be taking.

Lord Whitty: We have received several representations from the Chairman of the Zacchaeus 2000 Trust about the use of committal to prison for non-payment of local tax debts.
	Local authorities have responsiblity for the billing and collection of local taxes. While the Government cannot comment on the actions local authorities take in individual cases, imprisonment for non-payment of local taxes is very much the last resort in the enforcement process. Before authorities can make an application for committal to prison, they must have tried other enforcement measures first to recover the debt. Even where an application for committal to prison has been made by a local authority, the procedures themselves are designed to ensure that magistrates cannot hand down prison sentences without a thorough examination in the presence of the debtor of the reasons for failure to pay. Magistrates can only order a sentence if they find that non-payment was due to wilful refusal or culpable neglect on the part of the debtor. Indeed, magistrates have the power to remit all or part of a debt if they consider this is justified, for example, on grounds of severe financial hardship.

Postal Services: Parliamentary Questions

Lord Bowness: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether, when the Postal Services Bill is enacted, Ministers will answer written enquiries from Members of both Houses of Parliament or parliamentary Questions about postal services or whether such questions will be referred to the proposed Postal Services Commission for reply.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The Post Office Reform White Paper (Cm 4340) sets out the responsibilities of the Government, the Postal Services Commission and the Users' Council once the reform package including the Postal Services Bill is in place.
	Ministers will of course offer Members of both Houses of Parliament the courtesy of a reply, but, in those cases where the substantive response is the responsibility of another, the matter will be referred on to them, so that as full and informative a response as possible can be given. Clearly a swifter response is likely if issues that are the responsibility of the Postal Services Commission or the Users' Council are put direct to them.

New Survey Vessels

Lord Lipsey: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What progress has been made on placing the contract for two new survey vessels.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: We are pleased to be able to announce that the prime contract for the procurement of two new specialist warships, known as Multi-Role Hydrographic and Oceanographic Survey Vessels, has today been awarded to Vosper Thornycroft (UK) Ltd. The contract includes the provision of 25 years' contractor support for the vessels and is worth some £130 million in total over the life of the ships.
	Following a competition run by Vosper Thornycroft, the sub-contract to build the ships has been awarded to Appledore Shipbuilders in Devon. The ships, which are due to enter service in 2002 and 2003, will be named HMS "Echo" and HMS "Enterprise".
	These important new warships demonstrate our commitment to the modern force structure that emerged from the Strategic Defence Review. They will be equipped with the latest survey systems, and provide a significantly enhanced surveying capability and much improved sea-keeping capability over the vessels which they will replace, which are old and increasingly costly to maintain. They will be part of the Fleet's front-line in a variety of world-wide operational roles, as well as undertaking specialist surveying tasks necessary to the long-term effectiveness of the Royal Navy.
	Construction of the new ships will sustain some 500 jobs directly in the shipyard and some 300 in other suppliers, mainly in the local area.

Seizure of Criminal Assets: PIU Report

Baroness Uddin: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When the Performance and Innovation Unit will publish its report on the seizure of criminal assets.

Baroness Jay of Paddington: The Performance and Innovation Unit's report Recovering the Proceeds of Crime was published on 14 June as agreed government policy. Copies have been placed in the Printed Paper Office and in the Library of the House. It is also available on the Cabinet Office website at www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/innovation.
	The PIU report sets out the Government's new approach to tackling crime through its finances. In implementing the report, the Government are determined to show that crime will not pay in the UK. We aim to reduce crime and to increase confidence in the criminal justice system. The report sets out a plan of action covering the following areas:
	a more strategic approach to asset recovery, including a dedicated National Confiscation Agency and greater cross-government co-operation;
	more emphasis on financial investigation to help law enforcement uncover criminal assets as a routine part of their business;
	a new legislative attack closing legal loopholes and calling all convicted offenders to account for their assets where they have clearly benefited from their crimes; and introducing civil forfeiture giving the courts power to recover unlawful gains currently beyond the reach of the law;
	tightening the money laundering regime, simplifying and consolidating the money laundering laws;
	taxing unlawful gains by using tax powers more effectively to target criminal wealth; and
	setting a higher international standard, working with our partners overseas to drive up standards and close boltholes.
	My right honourable friend the Home Secretary, in collaboration with my right honourable friend the Chief Secretary, will take forward implementation of the conclusions of the report.

Newbridge-on-Wye: Proposed Wood-burning Power Plant

Lord Williams of Elvel: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton on 6 June (WA 148), whether they are satisfied, regardless of whether an investigation under Section 59 of the Electricity Act 1989 is to be conducted, that the applicants for planning permission to construct a woodburning power plant at Newbridge-on-Wye have given full and true answers to the Fourth Renewables Tranche questionnaire in respect of unreleased convenants affecting the land in question.

Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton: The Department of Trade and Industry is gathering information to enable a decision to be made on whether to launch an investigation into the allegations that have been made regarding the proposed biomass power plant at Newbridge-on-Wye. The scope of any investigation would be to consider whether the generator knowingly or recklessly made, "any statement which he knows to be false in a material particular." It would not be appropriate to make conclusions as to the completeness or truthfulness of answers given in advance of that decision or any such investigation.
	The award of a contract under the Non-Fossil Fuel Obligation does not confer any special privilege in the planning approval process, which must be carried out in the normal way.

Kosovo: Municipal Elections

Lord Judd: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is their policy towards the administration of Kosovo as a whole after municipal elections have been held; how this policy will further the principle of democratic and accountable government; and what will be the rights of refugees and displaced people in the municipal elections and rebuilding of democracy.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Following the municipal elections, responsibility for municipal affairs will be transferred to elected municipal councils. The UN Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) will oversee the councils and will have wide-ranging powers to take action against maladministration. This transfer of responsibilities to locally elected officials will require them to be accountable to the electorate. Our goal remains the participation of all communities in voter registration and municipal elections; we support UNMIK's efforts to encourage minorities to register. Our efforts are being frustrated by Milosevic's refusal to allow displaced Kosovo Serbs in Serbia to register. We are encouraging countries with lines to Belgrade to urge the authorities there to reverse their policy, in the Serbs' own interest.

Ethiopia/Eritrea Conflict

Lord Rea: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	In view of the military offensive launched by Ethiopia against Eritrea on 12 May, what was the source of information which led Baroness Scotland of Asthal to state on 5 April (H.L. Deb., col. 1409) that "we understand that the government of Ethiopia are now in a position to accept the OFU peace package and that a peaceful solution may be in sight".

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The statement I made to noble Lords was based on diplomatic reporting at the time. Both sides have indicated on several occasions their readiness to accept a negotiated solution. But this has not yet delivered a firm peace agreement. We continue to work for that.

The "Third Way"

Lord Patten: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Which policies developed since the last general election exemplify their Third Way approach.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The Government in their manifesto promised that "in each area of policy a new and distinctive approach has been mapped out, one that differs from the old left and the Conservative right". This is what we have done.

Maternity Care and Ethnic Group Data

Lord Patel of Blackburn: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What comparative data are available on (a) levels of maternity care and (b) length of hospital stay among patients of different ethnic backgrounds, in particular from areas with a high ethnic population.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Data are available on both maternity care and ethnic group from the Hospital Episode Statistics in England. The latest available data for 1998-99, aggregated at health authority level to provide comparative information, have been placed in the Library.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease: Surveillance Unit Annual Report

Baroness Gould of Potternewton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they will publish the eighth annual report of the National Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Surveillance Unit.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The National Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Surveillance Unit's eighth annual report has been published. Copies have been placed in the Library. The report documents the unit's findings in relation to sporadic, familial, iatrogenic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, and also variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease up to 31 December 1999.

NHS Clinical Negligence Claims

Lord Colwyn: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many claims for clinical negligence against Hospital Trusts in England and Wales were outstanding at the end of March 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 respectively; what proportion of these claims concerned National Health Service dentistry; and what effect they expect the recent Court of Appeal judgment on the 10 personal injury cases to have on future claims.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The National Health Service Executive collects data on the costs of clinical negligence claims, rather than the number or types of claims. It is therefore not possible to say how many claims were outstanding at the end of March for each of the years requested, or which relate to NHS dentistry. In relation to general dental practitioners, no information is collected on the number of claims, as claims are made against individual practitioners and not through the NHS.
	The recent Court of Appeal judgment about the level of general damages in personal injury cases means that this element of awards in future cases will not be decided on the basis set out in that judgment. The judgment also applies to all current outstanding claims and so has meant an immediate increase in costs to the NHS. However, these increases are not as significant as would have been the case if the Court of Appeal had decided to accept the recommendations on general damages levels made in the Law Commission's Report (No. 257) on this issue.

Departmental Cars

Lord Hoyle: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 8 June (WA 173) what type and make of cars are used by the Department of Health.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The information requested is given in the table.
	
		Makes and Models of DH Vehicles in all Schemes as of 15/6/2000
		
			 Make Model Number 
			 Alfa Romeo 156 1 
			  Total 1 
			 Audi A3 4 
			  A4 5 
			  Total 9 
			  
			 BMW 318 7 
			  316 3 
			  323 1 
			  520 1 
			  Total 12 
			 Citroen Xantia 4 
			  Xzara 4 
			  ZX Advantage 2 
			  Relay 1 
			  ZX Volcane 1 
			  Total 12 
			 Fiat Bravo 2 
			  Total 2 
			 Ford Escort 2 
			  Focus 14 
			  Galaxy 3 
			  Mondeo 10 
			  Puma 2 
			  Fiesta 2 
			  Scorpio 1 
			  Total 34 
			 Honda Accord 2 
			  Civic 3 
			  CRV 2 
			  Total 7 
			 Hyundsi Coupe 2 
			  Total 2 
			 Land Rover Discovery 1 
			  Freelander 1 
			  Total 2 
			 Mazda 323 1 
			  MX3 1 
			  Total 2 
			 Mercedes C Class 2 
			  Sprinter Van 1 
			  Total 3 
			 Nissan Primera 1 
			  Total 1 
			 Peugeot 206 5 
			  306 4 
			  405 2 
			  406 8 
			  Total 19 
			 Renault Laguna 21 
			  Megane 11 
			  Total 32 
			 Rover 216 3 
			  214 1 
			  200 1 
			  220 2 
			  75 1 
			  25 2 
			  400 1 
			  416 2 
			  420 2 
			  600 1 
			  820 1 
			  Total 17 
			 Seat Alhambra 3 
			  Ibiza 1 
			  Total 4 
			 Skoda Octavia 1 
			  Total 1 
			 Subaru Impreza 2 
			  Total 2 
			 Toyota Carina 1 
			  Corrolla 1 
			  Avensis 1 
			  Total 3 
			  
			 Vauxhall Astra 21 
			  Calibra 1 
			  Vectra 24 
			  Cavalier 1 
			  Corsa 6 
			  Total 53 
			 Volkswagen Bora 2 
			  Golf 15 
			  Passat 18 
			  
			  Polo 5 
			  Lupo 1 
			  Total 41 
			 Volvo V70 1 
			  V40 1 
			  570 1 
			  Total 3 
			   
			 Total  262